Combination sleeping bag and blanket



Oct. 23, 1951 J. KAPLAN COMBINATION SLEEPING BAG AND BLANKET 2SHEETS'SHEET 1 Filed March 20, 1951 III-1| I INVENTOR. MK A BY I Oct.23, 1951 J. KAPLAN 2,572,490

' COMBINATION SLEEPING BAG AND BLANKET Filed March 20, 1951 2 Sl-[EETSSHEET 2 INVENTOR.

Patented Oct. 23, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINATION SLEEPINGBAG AND BLANKET 2 Claims.

This invention relates to newand useful improvements in .a combinationblanket or comforter, sleeping bag, and shelter member which is adaptedto serve both military and non-military requirements in combinationdevices of this general type and is a continuation in part of mycopending application Ser. No. 201,794, filed December 20, 1950. I

My invention relates to an improved and novel construction which permitsuse of the structure for a multiplicity of purposes. That is to say, thedevice may be used as a blanket or comforter or, as a sleeping bag, allas may be desired. The need for a Structure having a multiplicity ofuses especially in the military service, is so obviously desirable as torequire no further comment.

By means of the novel features of my invention, the airing and/orlaundering thereof is greatly facilitated inasmuch as it is possible toopen same. For this and other purposes of my invention, the deviceconsists of a structure of a water repellent material which is suitablyreinforced with a layer or layers of padding so as to provide thevarious features above referred to.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to provide amultipurpose bag which is readily adapted to be transformed from ablanket to a sleeping bag, for example, or to be changed from any one ofthe above mentioned constructions to any other of the above mentionedpossible constructions, all as may be desired.

It is the principal object of my invention to provide a novel andimproved multipurpose device of the type above referred to which willeliminate the now present objectionable inconveniences inherent indevices of this general type and which is operable with a maximum amountof ease and a minimum degree of effort.

One of the primary purposes of my invention i to provide structural andoperational improvements in devices of the class to which reference hasbeen made, which improvements not only simplify the structure as such,but also provide important distinct advantages in strength, durability,and the like.

My invention also consists in certain new and original features ofconstruction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimedin conjunction with the annexed drawings which illustrate a certain formof embodiment thereof, which form is deemed preferable and isspecifically disclosed for the purpose of illustrating one embodiment ofthe invention by way of an example since the same has been found inpractice a 2 to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it isto be understood that the various parts of which the invention consists,can be variously changed within the scope of the appended claims withoutdeparting from the broad aspects and spirit of the invention and thatsame is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of theinstrumentalities as herein shown and described.

All of the above cited objects I accomplish by means of such structureand relative arrangements of parts thereof, as will fully appear by aperusal of the description below and by other various specific featuresas will be hereinafter set forth and claimed. In the followingdescription and claims, various details will be identified by specificnames for convenience. These names. however, are intended to be asgeneric in their application as the art will permit.

To the above cited and other ends and with the foregoing and variousother novel features and advantages and other objects of my invention inview as will become more readily apparent as the description proceeds,my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and inthe new combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter moreparticularly pointed out in the claims hereunto annexed and more fullydescribed and referred to in connection with the accompanying drawingswherein:

Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view of the outer side of my improved combinedblanket and sleeping bag structure;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevational view along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 and 4 are small scale diagrammatic plan views of the structureshown in Fig. 1 with parts thereof in progressively folded relation; and

Figs. 5 and 6 are other small scale diagrammatic plan views on anotherscale showing the parts of the structure at the head and thereof inprogressively folded relation.

Referring now to the drawing more in detail, and referring moreparticularly to the preferred form of my invention selected forillustrative purposes, I have shown a combination blanket and sleepingbag which includes a sheet or member 2 of substantially rectangularform, which member is of any suitable water repellent material.

The member is of such dimensions as to accommodate completely the bodyof the user with sufficient additional length and width remaining at theopposite ends and sides thereof to serve to enclose the body within abag-like structure when the device is in the assembled bag position aswill subsequently be described. Likewise the member is of suchdimensions as to provide an adequately sized blanket or comforter whenthe structure is in the open position shown in Fig. 1.

In reference to Fig. 2, it will be noted that a sheet of a soft fabric 4of any of the well known types such as cotton or wool is disposed underthe water repellent member 2.

Another layer of soft fabric 6, similar to the sheet 4, is alsoprovided. Serving as a ply between the members t and 6 is a layer ofpadding or filling 8. The layer 8 may be of any conventional softmaterial such as kapok, wool down, cotton, feathers, or the like.

The members 2, 4, 6 and 8 are all of substantially the same over-alldimensions.

If desired, an additional layer H) of soft material similar tothe layer8 may be disposed between the members 4 and 6 and adjacent the member 8if it is desired to offer an increased softness to any particular areaof the structure.

'In'the form shown in Fig. 1, a triangular shaped area beneath member 2is reinforced with this additional layer ll! so as to provide anincreased softness and thermal insulation within a specific area onwhich the user rests when in the sleeping position, all as willpresently be observed.

The members 4, 6, 3 and it are secured to each other by means ofstitching i2 disposed over the entire area of the members as desired soas to provide the conventional quilted structure.

The outermost edges of members 2, ll, '5 and 8 are secured to each otherby means of a webbing or binding tape 14 of cotton fabric or othersuitable material which is stitched as at It around the perimetersthereof and holds the members fixed relative to each other at the edgesand prevents raveling thereof.

In other words, the plurality of layers are superposed one above anotherand are secured at the edges of the plurality to each other with one ofthe layers being made of a waterproof material.

Member 2, it will be appreciated, serves as the outermost layer andmember 6 serves as the innermost layer of the structure when same is inuse. That is to say, the water resistant layer 2 will ordinarily beexposed to the outside and the layer will ordinarily be adjacent thetherewith, are provided. Each is secured to the member 2 (and if desiredto the members S and 8 also) adjacent the marginal edge of what will bereferred to as the foot portion 30 of the structure and continues in acurving manner at first transversely and then substantiallylongitudinally therefrom to a point adjacent what will be referred to asthe head end portion 32 of the structure.

The stringer slide construction may be of the well known forms used inconnection with clothing and the like and is preferably of the typeknown as the zipper fastener. That is, each of the stringers includesthe conventional series of spaced fastener elements which areconstructed to interlock with the fasteners of the other series, eachseries extending from substantially one end of its stringer to the otherend thereof. The slider 24 is shiftable along the stringers to causeinterlocking engagement of the fastener elements to hold the parts ofthe structure in a predetermined relation as will subsequently beobserved.

The stringer members 20 and 22 are secured to stringer tapes 2i and 23respectively and the tapes are secured as by stitching to the member 2,and as aforesaid to the members 4, 6 and 8, if desired. For example, itwill be noted, in Fig. 2, that the member 2 is shown as being secured tothe members 6, 6 and 8 not only at the edge portions thereof but alsoalong the lines where the stringer tapes 2| and 23 are stitched to themember 2.

In other words, the pair of stringers each "include a straight portion.These straight portions converge from corresponding points towards andterminate short of one end of the structure. Each stringer includes asecond portion extending from the straight portion thereof toward thesaid one end and curves towards the corresponding portion of the otherstringer and terminates short of the medial line of the structure.

It will be appreciated that there is no stitching in the water repellentmember '2 except at the edges thereof and where the stringer tapesoverlie the member '2 and that in both instances the binding tape l4 orstringer tapes 2| and 23, as the case may be, are disposed directly overand stitched to the member 2. This is for the reason that the member 2ordinarily would lose its repellency due to the needle holes,which'lossis obviated herein, however, because of the employment of the webbing ortapes.

As explained above, each stringer member (20 or 22) has one of its endssecured adjacent the midpoint transversely of the member 2 at a point ator adjacent the foot end portion 3! of the structure as shown in Fig. 1.

The stringer members, when the structure is in the open or extendedposition substantially form an inverted U having transverse portionsextending in opposite directions from near the midpoint of the foot endportion of the structure and having side portions extending towards thelongitudinal side edges of the member 2 to points approximately near thehead end portion of the structure, all as is substantially shown in Fig.1.

The structure is pliable and foldable so that longitudinal side portionsand the head and foot end portions may be relatively folded, all as willshortly appear.

The combined sleeping bag construction will be further described inconnection with the small scale diagrammatic views, Figs. 3-6 inclusive,wherein various folding operations are shown, in order to explain howthe structure may function as a sleeping bag.

The structure is laid upon the ground with the member 2 in contacttherewith and the opposite longitudinal side portions 34 are folded overinwardly so as to lie over and upon the main body portion of thestructure as shown in Fig. 3. This may be doneiso as to locate thestringer members at the outer sides or edges of the folds.

The slider is then brought into operativeengagement with the stringermembers 25 and 22 and same is pulled therealong and relative thereto soas to bring the longitudinal side portions inwardly over the main bodyportion of the structure as shown in Fig. 5, whereby there is provided alongitudinal bag which is now open at the head end, i. e. the left handend as shown in Fig. 4. That is, the stringer members 253 and 22 projectoutwardly towards the side of the bag so that when the bag is folded inthe aforementioned manner the interlocking elements of the fastenerswill be in the proper position to be brought into proper engagement.

A person may slide into this open end (the left hand end as shown inFigs. ie-6) and may move his feet inwardly toward the foot end (theright hand end as shown in Fig. 4)

In other words, the foot end and the sides of the device are shiftableone towards another into a predetermined relationship to form the wallstructure of a sleeping bag.

It will be appreciated that the structure is of such dimension as toprovide sufficient fullness and thereby to receive comfortably the bodyand feet of the user.

The additional layer it of padding, it will be noted, is so located inFig. 1 as to provide an additional thickness beneath the body of theuser when he is lying in the bag, and especially pro vides additionalthermal insulation.

Additional features of construction at the head end of the structurewill now be described.

The outer ends of the head end portion of the structure each carry amember 50 of a snap fastener. The snap fasteners employed are of any ofthe conventional types such as are found on gloves or the like andinclude a female member in which a male member is releasably receivable.

As the outer ends of the head end portion are folded inwardly upon themain body portion of the structure to assume the position shown in Fig.4, the members 50 are engaged with the members 52 of the snap fasteners.

The head end portion is next folded inwardly along a line transverselyof the structure to a position where the members 50, being of the doublesnap fastener type are engageable with members 54 of the snap fasteners,as is best shown in Fig. 5.

With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 5, opposite sides of thehead portion of the structure are folded under and are brought togetherbeneath the main body portion of the structure. These ends are tiedtogether by means of tapes 60 so as to hold same together. That is tosay, the opposite sides are secured together centrally of and beneaththe structure.

In this relation of the parts, the end portion 32 provides a hood forthe head of the user and the underlapping sides of the head portionbeneath the main body portion serve as a pillow for the head of theuser.

The head end sections are folded as aforementioned. The bag now beingready for occupancy, the slider 24 is then moved toward the foot end toa point where a suflicient opening is made so as to permit entry intothe bag by the occupant. With his feet in the foot end and his headinthe head end and beneath the folded over end portion 32 which serves.as a hood as aforementioned, the occupant pulls the slider toward thehead end so as to enclose himself therewithin. That is to say, the bagis made ready for occupancy before the occupant enters thereinto.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the essential characteristics thereof. Hence, the presentembodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects merely asbeing illustrative and not as being restrictive, the scope of theinvention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by theforegoing description, and all modifications and variations as fallwithin the meaning and purview and range of equivalency of the appendedclaims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What it is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. A device of the class described comprising a plurality of layerssuperposed one above another and secured, at the edges of saidplurality, to each other, one of said layers being made of waterproofmaterial, a pair of stringers each including a straight portion, saidstraight portions converging from corresponding points towards andterminating short of one end of said device, each stringer including asecond portion extending from the straight portion thereof toward saidone end and curving towards the corresponding portion of the otherstringer and terminating short of the medial line of said device, saidone end and the sides of said device being shiftable one towards anotherinto a predetermined relationship to form the wall structure of asleeping bag, each of said stringers including a series of spacedfastener elements constructed to interlock with the fasteners of theother series, each series extending from substantially one end of itsstringer to the other end thereof, and slider mechanism shiftable alongsaid stringers to cause interlocking engagement of the fastener elementsto hold said one end and said side in said predetermined relation.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 which includes a head protectingportion having side edges extending from said corresponding points tothe extremity opposite said one end, said head protecting portionincluding corner portions foldable under the adjacent part of the deviceto form a headrest.

JULIUS KAPLAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,338,226 Bauer Jan. 4,19442,379,416 Clark July 3, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 50,503Norway Apr. 4, 1932

